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2000 Supreme(Guj) 717

Gujarat High Court
Judgename :B.C.PATEL, P.B.MAJMUDAR
MUNICIPAL CORPORATION OF AHMEDABAD - Appellant
Versus
VIJAY OWNERS ASSOCIATION - Respondent
APPEAL FROM ORDER441 of 1998
Decided On : 09/06/2000

Advocates Appeared: D.F.Amin, M.C.BHATT, R.M.CHHAYA

Headnote:(a) Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporation Act, 1949 (Bom. Act 59 of 1949) - Sec. 260 - Building regulation and town planning - Plaintiff submitted plan to construct residential/dwelling flat - Scheme was approved - Construction made - Revised plan with minor change - Construction of projection - Corporation served notice under Sec. 260 - Reply filed after due consideration - Restrain order passed by Corporation - Order challenged in civil suit - Order stayed by Trial Court - Exercise of jurisdiction by Trial Court - Non-application of mind - Order of Trial Court set aside and notice of Corporation upheld.

       Court is of the view that the Trial Court has not applied its mind in proper perspective and the Trial Court has not bothered to consider the notice along with the maps with explanation and the written statement which in detail are pointing out unauthorized construction.

       [Para 84]

       In view of what Court has stated hereinabove, Court is of the view that the Corporation has rightly issued notice. Inspite of numerous judgments, the Trial Court is granting stay without considering the facts and circumstances of the case. Thus, the approach of the Trial Court is required to be deprecated.

       [Para 85]

       (b) Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporation Act, 1949 (Bom. Act 59 of 1949) - Sec. 260 - Municipal Corporation - Illegal construction - Construction in violation of sanctioned plan - Issue of notice - Reply filed - Order passed by authority - Necessity of reasoned order - Material already annexed - Interference by Civil Court - Held, no reason is required - In view of clear picture, nothing was required.

       Court has heard the learned advocates at length. Court has passed the order after considering the material placed before us and therefore, Court find no merits in the submission for remanding it back either to the Trial Court or the officer concerned. So far as the order issued by the authority under Sec. 260 is concerned, it is not a judicial order and no reasoned order is required to be passed as Court is required to pass. Along with the notice, the maps with explanatory notes were submitted wherein the nature of illegality was clearly mentioned. In view of the clear picture nothing more was required to be stated.

       [Para 82]

       (c) Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporation Act, 1949 (Bom. Act 59 of 1949) - Sec. 260 - Gujarat Town Planning & Urban Development Act, 1976 (Presidents Act 27 of 1976) - Art. 243-Q - Town Planning Scheme - Application and field of Act - Building Bye-law - Conflict in provision of Act and Bye-law - Court is of view that powers were rightly exercised by authority and conflict in provisions of Act and Bye-law.

       From the provisions, it is very clear that there must be a Municipality under Art. 243Q. However, industrial establishment under a notification as contemplated under the proviso may be declared as industrial township. Nonetheless, institutions referred in Art. 243Q are meant for Municipal services. In the instant case, the Corporation duly established under the Act is providing Municipal services. In our opinion, in view of this, only one conclusion that the building regulations as made applicable must be implemented. In the instant case, as there being no conflict with regulations and the duties, Court is of the view that the powers are rightly exercised by the Corporation.

       [Para 74]

B. C. PATEL, P. B. MAJMUDAR, J.

( 1 ) AGAINST the order made by the Auxilliary Chamber Judge ( Court No. 24), Ahmedabad on 8. 7. 98, this appeal is preferred by Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (hereinafter to be referred to as "the Corporation" ).

( 2 ) RESPONDENT (hereinafter referred as "plaintiff") Vijay Owners Association Non Trading Corporation filed a Civil Suit No. 4980/94 against the Corporation for urgent orders. Notice of Motion was filed by the plaintiff for temporary injunction restraining the Corporation from implementing decision dated 12. 8. 94 and also restraining the Corporation, its agents, servants and persons from demolishing the construction till the final disposal of the suit. The learned Auxilliary Chamber Judge made an order below exh. 6 on 8. 7. 98, directing the parties to maintain status quo. The original plaintiff was also directed to file an undertaking that it would not carry out any further construction work in the disputed property till disposal of the suit and subject to that, temporary injunction in terms of para 13 (A) was granted till the disposal of the suit. The facts leading to the present proceedings, in brief are as under.

( 3 ) THE plaintiff submitted a plan to the Corporation for erecting a building consisting of 77 residential dwellings/flats and common amenities, on Final Plot No. 326/1 + 2 of Town Planning Scheme No. 19, situated in Navrangpura area of Ahmedabad. The plan was sanctioned on 17. 5. 91. In the plaint, it was stated that as per the plan approved, most of the work of all the floors has been carried out. It was contended that no illegal construction has been carried out and for minor changes after taking advice of the Architect, a revised plan shall be submitted. It was contended that a notice under section 260 (1) of the Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporations Act, 1949 (hereinafter to be referred to as "the Act"), dated 23. 6. 94, signed on 27. 6. 94, was served on the plaintiff on 30th June, 1994. Written submissions were made on 7. 7. 94, copies of which were given to the Deputy Municipal Commissioner and others with a request to arrange a meeting before them. In the plaint, it was specifically stated that for providing parking facility, after discussing the mater with the Architect, necessary lay out plan has been produced before the Corporation. The plaintiff has come out with a case that the projections appearing in the margin land cannot be said to be a new construction but it has merely covered the area under projections. The plaintiff has come out with a case that for cellar, parking and projections, explanation has been tendered and even if it is found that the construction is illegal, the same can be regularized. It was alleged against the officers of the Corporation that without application of mind, stereotype reply was given and though the explanation was satisfactory, it has not been accepted. The Corporation on 12. 8. 94 took a decision to remove unauthorised construction. On these facts, the suit was filed. It was further averred that the plaintiff was willing to give further explanation and he was willing to give security deposit in the sum of Rs. 2. 00 lacs or was willing to offer bank guarantee of a nationalized bank; However, the Corporation has not accepted the same and has taken the decision illegally on 12. 8. 94.

( 4 ) IT is required to be noted that in the instant case, the plaintiff filed a suit being Regular Civil Suit No. 4415/94 on 25. 8. 94 and the Court directed the parties to maintain status-quo. However, the aforesaid suit was filed without giving a notice as required under the law. The said suit was withdrawn and the present suit has been filed after issuing a notice under section 487 of the Act. On behalf of the Corporation, written statement has been filed, wherein it is pointed out as under in para 5. "the defendant (Corporation) has granted permission to the plaintiff to construct cellar for stores, ground floor for residential purp
































































































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